• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.11-29
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• 2017

Objectives : Contemporary researches suspect that, contrary to the past belief, the understanding that the cause of warm pathogen lies in the upper portion of human body is an understanding that had been well-established even before Yetianshi. This new understanding now requires us to contemplate the process of theoretical development which this understanding, termed Onsasangsu, had taken within the boundary of the theory of warm pathogen. This paper aims to shed light on this within the framework that this is the emergence of a new theory of warm pathogen caused by a new understanding of warm pathogen. Methods : First, the theories of warm pathogen as developed by historical doctors were studied, and elements that seem to be related to the understanding of Onsasangsu were selected and studied to understand their theoretical characteristics. Furthermore, the paper studied what academic significance do these theories have on the development of the theory of warm pathogen. Results & Conclusions : Provided that the underlying assumption of Onsasangsu is that febrile diseases are caused through moutn and nose, the study showed that this understanding arose before the period of Qing Dynsasty from the need by many doctors to differentiate the pathogens of various diseases such as the disease of heat, febrile disease, and epidemic. The reason that these discussions could not have much impact on the study of febrile disease during the Qing Dynasty could be because they were not passed on down to the future generations, or because commonly held perspective was unable to accept criticisms.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.89-97
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• 2013

Developing an animal model for a specific disease is very important in the understanding of the underlying mechanism of the disease and allows testing of newly developed new drugs before human application. However, which of the plethora of experimental animal species to use in model development can be perplexing. Administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is a very well known method to induce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease in mice. But, there is very limited information about the different sensitivities to MPTP among mouse strains. Here, we tested three different mouse strains (C57BL/6, Balb-C, and ICR) as a Parkinsonian model by repeated MPTP injections. In addition to behavioral analysis, endogenous levels of dopamine and tetrahydrobiopterin in mice brain regions, such as striatum, substantia nigra, and hippocampus were directly quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Repeated administrations of MPTP significantly affected the moving distances and rearing frequencies in all three mouse strains. The endogenous dopamine concentrations and expression levels of tyrosine hydroxylase were significantly decreased after the repeated injections, but tetrahydrobiopterin did not change in analyzed brain regions. However, susceptibilities of the mice to MPTP were differed based on the degree of behavioral change, dopamine concentration in brain regions, and expression levels of tyrosine hydroxylase, with C57BL/6 and Balb-C mice being more sensitive to the dopaminergic neuronal toxicity of MPTP than ICR mice.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.165-168
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• 2010

Purpose: Pain or discomfort caused by foot diseases may lead to abnormal gait, resulting in decreased bone mineral density (BMD) of the affected lower limb. We analyzed the effect of foot affection to BMD and its clinical significance. Materials and Methods: Bilateral hip BMD was evaluated in 93 patients with unilateral chronic foot disease. To minimize statistical errors, we excluded patients with medical histories that had influence on BMD. Analysis was based on the results of BMD tests at the first visit. All patients denied past medical intervention for osteoporosis. The difference in density between bilateral limbs was determined by comparing BMDs of the neck, upper neck, trochanter and total area of hip. Results: Test results revealed the decrease of BMD in the lower limb with the affected foot, compared to the unaffected side. This decrease was significant in the area of the trochanter (p <0.05). There was no marked difference of BMD in relation with duration of affection, underlying disease or age. Pertaining the location of foot affection, the hindfoot group showed significant decrease in BMD compared to the forefoot group. The group with affection in bone and joint also showed a marked decrease in BMD compared to the soft tissue group (p <0.05). Conclusion: Pain and discomfort caused by chronic foot diseases can lead to a decrease in the BMD of the affected lower limb. This may increase the risk of complications such as osteoporotic fracture and muscular atrophy.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.179-185
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• 2020

In this paper, we propose impact factors and validity of blood variables on death of COVID-19 patients. The clinical-epidemiological data of 5628 COVID-19 patients, provided from Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency as day of 30th April 2020, were used. As results, impact factors of death were dementia, older age, high lymphocyte, cancer, dyspnea, COPD, change of consciousness, heart disease, high platelets, abnormal diastolic pressure and fever. The validities of blood variables for death were high in the order of lymphocyte, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet and WBC. Therefore, risk factors such as initial clinical characteristics, underlying disease and blood test results, could be regarded for efficient management of COVID-19 patients.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.293-297
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• 2008

Mycobacterium fortuitum usually causes colonization or transient infection in patients with underlying lung disease, such as prior tuberculosis or bronchiectasis. The majority of these patients may not need to receive antibiotic therapy for M. fortuitum isolates. We report here on a patient with M. fortuitum lung disease and who was successfully treated with combination oral antibiotic therapy. A 53-year-old woman was referred to our institution because of purulent sputum and dyspnea. A chest radiograph and computed tomography scan revealed cavitary consolidation in the left upper lobe and multiple small cavities in the left lower lobe. Numerous acid-fast bacilli (AFB) were seen in multiple sputum specimens and M. fortuitum was identified by culture from the sputum specimens. The patient received antibiotic treatment including clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole, because her symptoms were worsening despite conservative treatment. Sputum conversion was achieved after one month of antibiotic therapy. Both the patient's symptoms and radiographic findings improved after 10 months of antibiotic therapy.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.296-301
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• 2013

Objective : We conducted a retrospective study examining the outcomes of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to identify parameters associated with prognosis. Methods : From January 2001 to June 2008, we treated 32 ICH patients (21 men, 11 women; mean age, 62 years) with CKD. We surveyed patients age, sex, underlying disease, neurological status using Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), ICH volume, hematoma location, accompanying intraventricular hemorrhage, anti-platelet agents, initial and 3rd day systolic blood pressure (SBP), clinical outcome using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and complications. The severity of renal functions was categorized using a modified glomerular filtration rate (mGFR). Multifactorial effects were identified by regression analysis. Results : The mean GCS score on admission was $9.4{\pm}4.4$ and the mean mRS was $4.3{\pm}1.8$. The overall clinical outcomes showed a significant relationship on initial neurological status, hematoma volume, and mGFR. Also, the outcomes of patients with a severe renal dysfunction were significantly different from those with mild/moderate renal dysfunction (p<0.05). Particularly, initial hematoma volume and sBP on the 3rd day after ICH onset were related with mortality (p<0.05). However, the other factors showed no correlation with clinical outcome. Conclusion : Neurological outcome was based on initial neurological status, renal function and the volume of the hematoma. In addition, hematoma volume and uncontrolled blood pressure were significantly related to mortality. Hence, the severity of renal function, initial neurological status, hematoma volume, and uncontrolled blood pressure emerged as significant prognostic factors in ICH patients with CKD.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.6.1-6.12
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• 2012

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complicated neurodegenerative disorder although it is oftentimes defined by clinical motor symptoms originated from age dependent and progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. The pathogenesis of PD involves dopaminergic and nondopaminergic neurons in many brain regions and the molecular mechanisms underlying the death of different cell types still remain to be elucidated. There are indications that PD causing disease processes occur in a global scale ranging from DNA to RNA, and proteins. Several PD-associated genes have been reported to play diverse roles in controlling cellular functions in different levels, such as chromatin structure, transcription, processing of mRNA, translational modulation, and posttranslational modification of proteins. The advent of quantitative high throughput screening (HTS) tools makes it possible to monitor systemic changes in DNA, RNA and proteins in PD models. Combined with dopamine neuron isolation or derivation of dopamine neurons from PD patient specific induced pluripotent stem cells (PD iPSCs), HTS techonologies will provide opportunities to draw PD causing sequences of molecular events in pathologically relevant PD samples. Here I discuss previous studies that identified molecular functions in which PD genes are involved, especially those signaling pathways that can be efficiently studied using HTS methodologies. Brief descriptions of quantitative and systemic tools looking at DNA, RNA and proteins will be followed. Finally, I will emphasize the use and potential benefits of PD iPSCs-derived dopaminergic neurons to screen signaling pathways that are initiated by PD linked gene mutations and thus causative for dopaminergic neurodegneration in PD.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.58-67
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• 1986

Aggressive revascularization of the ischemic lower extremities in atherosclerotic, occlusive diseases or acute embolic arterial occlusion due to cardiac valvular disease by thromboembolectomy or an arterial bypass operation has been advocated by some authors. We have performed 68 first time vascular operations, including thromboembolectomies on RR patients with ischemic lower extremities, within an 11-year-and-6-month period, from January 1974 to June 1984. We have reviewed and analyzed our vascular operative procedures and post operative results. The patients upon whom thromboembolectomies were performed were 42 males and 13 females ranging from 5 to 72 years of age. The major arterial occlusive sites were common iliac artery in 20 cases, femoral artery in 21 cases, popliteal artery in 8 cases, common iliac artery and femoral artery in 4 cases, and femoral artery and popliteal artery in 3 cases. The underlying causes of arterial occlusive disease were atherosclerosis obliterans in 34 cases; Buerger`s disease in 3 cases; emboli due to cardiac valvular disease in 13 cases; and vascular trauma in 4 cases, including cardiac catheterization in I of those cases. Arterial bypass operations with autogenous or artificial vascular prosthesis were done in 31 cases. Amputations were done on 2 patients carrying out any more vascular operative procedures would have been of no benefit to them. Our bypass operations for ischemic lower extremities were classified as follows: those done between the abdominal aorta and the femoral artery in 17 cases, including those done between the aorta and the bifemoral arteries with a Y graft in four of those cases and long ones done from the axillary to the femoral artery in 4 cases. Five patients died in the hospital following vascular surgery for ischemic lower extremities, the causes of death were not directly related to the vascular reconstructive operative procedures. The leading causes of death were respiratory failure due to metastatic lung carcinoma: renal failure due to complications from atherosclerosis obliterans; sepsis from open, contaminated fractures of the tibia and fibula; and myocardial failures due to open heart surgery in one case and reconstructive surgery of the ascending aorta in another.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.53-57
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• 2011

Purpose: Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare inflammatory, reactive dermatosis marked by painful cutaneous ulcer. The causes of pyoderma gangrenosum remain unclear. Gastrointestinal, hematological, rheumatological, and immmune disorders may be associated with pyoderma gangrenosum. The appearance of this disease may range from mild skin ulcers to life-threatening conditions. Generalized multiple ulcerative pyoderma gangrenosum is very rare. Here we report our experience with a case of multiple ulcerative pyoderma gangrenosum accompanied by ulcerative colitis. Methods: A 67-year-old man had cutaneous ulcers at multiple sites including the scalp, face, chest, abdomen, hands, and buttocks. He also developed gastrointestinal symptoms such as intermittent dyspepsia and bloody excrement. Debridement and irritation aggravated the disease progress. We gave a diagnosis of pyoderma gangrenosum with ulcerative colitis based on the clinical appearance and biopsy. The patient was treated with systemic intravenous steroid therapies and careful wound cares. Ulcers of the scalp and buttocks were treated with split thickness skin grafts. Results: Most of the multiple cutaneous ulcers were treated by systemic intravenous steroid therapies and wound cares. The rest of the ulcers were treated with skin grafts. Systemic intravenous steroid therapy was used to treat the ulcerative colitis. Conclusion: Generalized multiple ulcerative pyoderma gangrenosum is very rare. Without making an accurate diagnosis, hasty surgical treatments could aggravate the progression of the disease. Additionally, care should be taken to systemically treat underlying disease as well as administrating local treatments for the skin lesions. Intravenous systemic steroid therapy and skin grafts are useful treatments for generalized pyoderma gangrenosum.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Oncology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.128-134
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• 2018

Purpose: Previous studies have addressed the role of the hypercoagulable state in the pathogenesis of cancer progression and metastasis. In this study, we investigated the association between coagulation factors, including tissue factor (TF) expression, platelet count, and fibrinogen level, and disease recurrence in patients with non-metastatic colorectal cancer. Methods: Patients who underwent curative resection for stage II or III colorectal cancer between 2000 and 2007 were included in this study. Data from a prospectively maintained database were retrospectively reviewed. TF expression was determined by immunohistochemistry using an anti-TF monoclonal antibody. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate 5-year disease-free survival. Results: TF was highly expressed in 257 of 297 patients (86.5%). TF expression was not significantly associated with the platelet counts (P=0.180) or fibrinogen level (P=0.281). The 5-year disease-free survival rate was lower in patients with high TF expression than in patients with low TF expression (72.3% vs. 83.9%, P=0.074). In Cox hazard analysis, high TF expression was an independent risk factor for tumor recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] 2.446; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.054-5.674; P=0.037). Undifferentiated histologic type (HR, 2.911; 95% CI, 1.308-6.481; P=0.009), venous invasion (HR, 2.784; 95% CI, 1.431-5.417; P=0.003), and lymph node metastasis (HR, 2.497; 95% CI, 1.499-4.158; P<0.001), were also significantly associated with disease recurrence. Conclusion: TF expression is associated with a recurrence in patients with non-metastatic colorectal cancer. However, further studies are required to clarify the underlying mechanisms relating TF expression with oncologic outcomes and its potential role as a therapeutic target.